The UK has been the world leader in offshore wind since October 2008, with as much capacity already installed as the rest of the world combined. The total offshore generating capacity in UK waters provides around 8 terawatt-hours (TWh) of electricity annually, equivalent to the electricity consumption of around 2 million homes.
Industry projections see a total of around 8GW of capacity installed by 2016 and around 18GW installed by 2020, by which point offshore wind will supply between 18 and 20 per cent of the UK’s electricity annually. Employment growth in the sector has been substantial since the numbers were first sourced in 2008 and now stands at around 6,830 full time employees.
– See more at: http://www.renewableuk.com/en/events/conferences-and-exhibitions/global-offshore-wind-2015/index.cfm#sthash.fJYmqKfl.dpuf